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que
that
A conjunction that connects two parts of a sentence
Encoding Strategies:
repetition
The most useful translation for que is that, because nearly every way it's used connects back to a single idea: connecting one part of a sentence to another0.
que
that (conjunction)
Connects a statement to more information related to it.
Espero que tengas un buen díaI hope that you have a good day
Creo que está lloviendoI think that it's raining
that, which, who
Connects a noun to its description.
El café que me gustaThe coffee that I like
El chico que vive al ladoThe guy who lives next door (the guy that lives next door)
because, since (giving a reason)
Connects a statement to the reason behind it. "Because" is really just "it's that..."
Cállate, que no puedo pensarBe quiet because I can't think (be quiet, it's that I can't think)
No salgas, que está lloviendoDon't go out since it's raining (don't go out, it's that it's raining)
than (comparison)
Connects something to a comparison about it. The English words 'that' and 'than' look similar because they evolved from the same root, whereas Spanish just uses 'que' for both scenarios.
Mi hermano es más alto que yoMy brother is taller than me
Llegó más tarde que todosHe arrived later than everyone
(implicit command, wish, reaction)
The main verb is dropped from the front, like "[I want] that..." or "[let it be] that...", forming an implicit command or wish.
¡Que tengas buen viaje!Have a good trip! ([I hope] that you have a good trip)
¡Que llueva!Let it rain! ([let it be] that it rains)
el que / la que
the one that, the one who, the one which
Adding a definite article before 'que' turns it into a noun: "that" becomes "the one that."
La que llegó primero ganóThe one that arrived first won
Los que no pagaron no pueden entrarThose that didn't pay can't enter
lo que
what, that which, which (abstract)
Whereas 'el que' and 'la que' point at a specific thing ("the one that"), 'lo que' refers to something abstract or unnamed.
No entiendo lo que dicesI don't understand what you're saying
Valora lo que tienesValue that which you have
[verb] que [same verb]
[emphasis] (relentless repetition)
Repeating a verb with 'que' in between emphasizes that something keeps happening without stopping. The 'que' connects the action back to itself to convey relentless repetition.
Dale que dale con el mismo temaHe goes on and on about the same topic
Estudia que estudia y nunca saleShe studies and studies and never goes out